Snap-hook



(No Model.)

A. W. WEIERBAGH.

SNAP HOOK.

Patented May 11, 1897.

5 wins; 00 mo UNITED STATES ATENT rrrcn.

ALBERT W. WVEIERBACH, OF HEILMANDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 582,564, dated May 11,1897.

Application filed January 23, 1897. Serial No. 620,433. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. VVEIER- BAOH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Heilmandale, in the county of Lebanon and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSnap-Hooks, of which the following is a speci fication, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in sliding-bolt snap-hooks; andit has for its obj ect the production of means for automatically locking the sliding bolt when thrown into operative position, therebypreventing accidental movement of the bolt.

The invention will first be described in connection with theaccompanying drawings,and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of my improved snap-hook.Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same, illustrating the meansfor automatically locking the sliding bolt, the hook, sliding bolt, andoperating-spring being shown in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a snap-hook formed of an uppermember a and a lower member a. The lower member is provided at its rearend with the usual strap-receiving opening 1, its forward end beingreduced and shaped to form a hook 2. The upper member has adownwardly-extending lip 3 at its forward end, adapted to seat snuglyagainst a shoulder 4, formed in member a just in rear of hook 2. Themember a is secured to the member a at the forward end by aninwardly-projecting spur 5 on lip 3 taking into a recess 6 in theshoulder A and at the rear end by screws 7, passing through member a andtakinginto member a, all as shown in the drawings. The members are eachprovided with a longitudinal recess, which, when the members areassembled, forms a round sliding-bolt channel 8, a narrow longitudinalslot 9, formed in member a, communicating with channel 8 at one end. Theforward end of the channel is of a size to just permit longitudinalmovement of the sliding bolt, and is then enlarged, as at 10, formingshoulders 11 at the rear end, the enlarged portion of the channelpermitting the necessary vertical movement of the sliding bolt, ashereinafter described.

B represents the sliding bolt, its forward end being of a size to justpass through the forward end of the channel 8, the remainder of the boltbeing reduced, as at 12, leaving a shoulder 13 near the forward end,against which and against the shoulders 11, near the rear end of channel8, the respective ends of an operating-spring O are adapted to bear,serving to project the sliding bolt forward to close the snap-hook, asin ordinary construc tion. A notch 14: is formed in the lower side ofthe sliding bolt near its rear end, the rear end of the bolt beingenlarged, as at 15, for a purpose hereinafter described.

D represents a leaf-spring secured in the bottom of channel 8, at therear end thereof, the forward or free end of this spring being adaptedto enter the notch 14 in the bolt when the bolt is in the extremeforward position, as shown in Fig. 2.

A thumb-piece 16, preferably formed integral with the sliding bolt,projects through the longitudinal slot 9 in memberaand serves to operatethe bolt.

The operation of my improved snap-hook is as follows: WVhen the spring 0operates to force the sliding bolt forward to close the snap-hook, theforward end of spring D enters notch 14: in the sliding bolt andprevents accidental movement of the said bolt, as will be apparent. Whendesired to withdraw bolt B to open the snap-hook, by simply pressing onthe thumb-piece 16 the e11- larged end 15 of bolt B will be caused tocontact with the spring D, forcing the forward end thereof out of notch14, permitting the bolt to be withdrawn against the stress of spring 0,the enlarged portion of channel 8 affording sufficient space to permitthe vertical movement of the bolt necessary in forcing spring D out ofnotch lel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A snap-hook having a longitudinal channel therein, a bolt adapted toslide in said channel, said bolt being formed with a notch near one end,means for operating the bolt in one direction, and a leaf-spring securedin said channel, the forward end of said spring being adapted to engagethe notch in the bolt when the bolt is in the extreme forward po sition,as and for the purposes stated.

2. A snap-hook having a longitudinal channel therein, a bolt adapted toslide in said channel, said bolt being formed with a notch near one end,the inner end of the bolt being somewhat enlarged, means forautomatically moving the bolt to close the snap-hook, and a leaf-springsecured in said channel, the forward end of said spring being adapted toengage the notch in the bolt when the snap-hook is closed, the enlargedrear end of the bolt serving to disengage the end of the spring from thenotch, substantially as deseri bed and for the purposes stated.

3. A snap-hook comprising two members, the upper member having adownwardly-extending lip adapted to seat in a shonldem formed in thelower member, a spur 011 said lip entering a recess in said shoulder,said members havingalongitudinal channel formed between them, a boltadapted to slide in said channel, a coil-spring seated in said channeland adapted to automatically move said bolt in the forward direction, athumb-piece on the bolt projecting through a slot formed in the uppermember and communicating with said channel, said thumb-piece beingadapted to more the bolt in the opposite direction, and means containedin said channel for automatically locking the sliding bolt when in theextreme forward position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I al'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBE 1' l \V. WEIERBACH. \Vitnesses:

HENRY M. BOYER, A. RISE BOWMAN.

